Grand Africa Day 71 - At Sea International Favorites Dinner

 I got up at 7 and went to breakfast at 7:30. I returned to the  cabin at 8 and started packing my bag that will be checked on the plane. Then I read until 12:30 when I went to the World Stage to get a seat for the History of Holland America presentation followed by the Captain's farewell with all (or most) of the crew an officers. I returned to the cabin at 2 to find my disembarkation package. I will be called at 8:45 tomorrow to disembark. I set a wake-up call for 6 am. I read until 4 when I went to my last happy hour. I returned to the cabin at 5 and got ready for dinner. I went to dinner at 7:20 and then went to the show with John Joseph, the comedian, and he was hilarious as before if not more so. Finally got back to the cabin at 9:50 and finished packing my last bag and put it out. I went to bed at 10:30.

Grand Africa Day 70 - At Sea Chef's Farewell Dinner

 I got up at 7:35 and went to breakfast at 8:10. I returned to the cabin at 8:40. I finished packing the shipping bags and read until 10:45 when the room stewards came. I read in the atrium until 11 and then returned to the cabin. I found a gift which is a Grand Africa 2022 tote bag that zips into a small package. I didn't unfold it so it could be larger that a tote or it could be a backpack. I  will wait till I get home to find out as it might not be easy to re-fold up. I worked crosswords and read until 1:40 when I went to the World Stage for the Crew Talent Show at 2 in order to get a good seat. It was not an original idea since the place was packed on decks 4 and 5, so I returned to the cabin to watch Cowboys/Jaguars football. At 4, with Dallas leading 24-10, I went to happy hour. I returned to the cabin at 5:10 as overtime began. What a disappointing finish. I got ready for dinner and watched the Tampa/Bengal game. I went to dinner at 7:20. After dinner, I went to the B.B. King All-Star Band's second show which went on until 10. I went back to my cabin and found a note for someone in 3424 not 3124 and I took it to the other end of the ship to the correct door. I returned to the cabin and updated the blog entry. I went to bed at 11 and we are to set the clocks back one hour tonight. 

Grand Africa Day 69 - SanJuan, Puerto Rico/Barn Dance

 I got up at 6:20 as we were pulling into the dock area. We docked at 6:50 and I went to breakfast at 7. I returned to the cabin at 7:20 and went to the outside deck to take some pictures. We were docked near a small airport with planes taking off and landing. I watched several crew members disembarking with their luggage. I heard that there were 25 changing out here and I expect the same number of new ones to come on board to replace them. There were several boats on our port side as were were near a marina. We had to go to the terminal and after all were off and processed, we could return to the ship. My group was called at  9:20. The ship did not reach zero count until 11:15 due to some people taking their sweet time coming from the ship and then there was a rush to re-board since it was time for lunch. Since my tour was in the afternoon, I returned to the ship at 11:28 and read until time for my tour to meet in the terminal. I left the ship at 1:20 and the earlier rain had stopped. We got off the shuttle bus at 1:40 and started our trek. There were only 9 people on our tour and our tour guide was very good. Our first stop was at Juanes where we had Medalla Light Beer and pork on mashed banana base. After we left, we saw the narrowest house barely wider than the door. The next bar gave us a rum with lemon juice and mint drink plus cevichc with plantain chips. We learned about  Don Q rum from Puerto Rico. Next we went to a very old bar and learned how to make the original Cuban recipe for a daiquiri and the history of how the cocktail came about during prohibition in the U.S. The bar owner had many great stories about liquor. Last stop was at Singular where we ha a pina colada with a pineapple leaf to stir it with along with rice and beans with a piece of beef on top followed by a bread pudding with ice cream on top. I forgot to take a picture of the dessert until it was half gone. We then walked back to the shuttle bus stop and waited a few minutes for the bus and then waited for it to fill up. The 3.25 hour tour turned out to be over 5 from leaving the ship to returning to it. We had walked about 3 miles uphill and downhill in  the cobblestone streets. I got back to my cabin at 6:20 and after all the snacks and booze, decided not to go to dinner. I uploaded my pictures and updated the blog entry. I read until 10 when I went to bed.

The tour was described as:

Set out with a small group (maximum 12 privileged guests) for a more personalized chance to explore local flavors and immerse yourself in the history, culture and culinary delights of Puerto Rico. Taste your way through the colorful neighborhood of San Juan's Old Town for a profound understanding of the origin of Puerto Rican food and the events that helped shape it. Come hungry -- you'll visit some charming local restaurants to sample traditional Puerto Rican dishes and cocktails.

One of Puerto Rico’s best bars awaits you. Handcraft your own signature cocktail here, with guidance from an expert mixologist. Listen to the stories behind some of the island's most iconic drinks as you learn how to muddle, stir and shake the Puerto Rican way.

Along the way, your guide will tell you about the history and culture of this age-old city, established in 1509, and you'll revel in its colonial architecture. Glimpse the spectacular governor's mansion, walk through some of the many beautiful public plazas, and go back in time as you stand beside the striking fortified walls of the city. This food, history, drinks and city tour all rolled into one will connect you to the local culture one bite and step at a time.